ILMEA selects Schaumburg Youth Orchestra musicians
For many musicians in the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra, it's a busy concert season.
In addition to performing with their school programs and in a series of concerts at Schaumburg's Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, a number of Schaumburg Youth Orchestra members expanded their orchestral experience performing through the Illinois Music Education Association.
ILMEA, a nonprofit association representing every level of music education, is the largest fine arts education organization in Illinois and among the largest in the nation. It also hosts district and state performances by student musicians who excel on their instruments.
Each year, students are selected by audition to perform in ILMEA district orchestras. District orchestra musicians are then selected to advance to the All-State Orchestra.
Auditions are held in the fall, culminating in performances through the end of January at the Illinois Music Education Conference in Peoria, where music teachers, along with top student musicians, participate in clinics and concerts.
The following members of the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra were selected to participate in this year's ILMEA orchestras:
• Arlington Heights: Rebekah Davis, viola, Christian Heritage Academy; and Tyler Lieu, violin, Thomas Middle School
• Hoffman Estates: Erin Johnson, violin, Hoffman Estates High School; Hannah Tomita, oboe, Hoffman Estates High School; and Emma Tomita, flute, Lincoln Prairie School
• Inverness: David Rha, violin, Barrington Prairie Middle School; and Shriyaa Sanjeevkumar, viola, Sundling Junior High School
• Lake Zurich: Annie Li, flute, Lake Zurich High School; and Victoria Zbierowski, trombone, Lake Zurich Middle School South
• Mount Prospect: Daniel Oczko, tuba, Prospect High School
• Palatine: Duncan Harro, bassoon, Fremd High School; Andrea Jing, violin, Fremd High School; Kailene Liao, violin, Hunting Ridge Elementary; John Azpuru, clarinet, Palatine High School; Abigail Zuercher, cello, Palatine High School; and Charlene Lu, violin, Plum Grove Junior High
• Roselle: Ananya Gupta, bassoon, Frost Junior High
• Schaumburg: Andrew Davidson, violin, Addams Junior High; Amy Hardison, violin, Addams Junior High; Yuma Okada, violin, Addams Junior High; Kyle Morimoto, violin, Conant High School; Samuel Hessian, trombone, Schaumburg High School; Emily Kaspari, cello, Schaumburg High School; Kenneth Tochihara, violin, Schaumburg High School; Jason Wickland, guitar, Schaumburg High School; Mia Hardison, violin, Thomas Dooley Elementary
• Wheaton: Bridget Maston, flute, Wheaton Warrenville South
• Wood Dale: Anna Micor, flute, Wood Dale Junior High
ILMEA All-State
• Elk Grove Village: Makiba Kurita, violin, Conant High School; Eleanor Park, cello, Conant High School
• Oak Park: Ari Schwartz, harp, Oak Park/River Forest High School (composition category)
• Palatine: Brian Sonderegger, clarinet, Palatine High School
• Schaumburg: Charles Lin, violin, Conant High School; James Preucil, viola, Conant High School; Cody Mui, violin, Hoffman Estates High School; Vincent Chang, oboe, Schaumburg High School; and Abby Fledderman, trumpet, Schaumburg High School
• Wheaton: Kelly O'Connell, violin, Wheaton Warrenville South; Sarah O'Connell, viola, Wheaton Warrenville South; and Danny O'Connell, cello, Wheaton Warrenville South
The Schaumburg Youth Orchestra program consists of four performing ensembles and a chamber music program. Now in its 29th season, the orchestra was twice-awarded "Youth Orchestra of the Year" by the Illinois Council of Orchestras.
The Council also awarded Schaumburg Youth Symphony Orchestra Director Joseph Malmquist "Conductor of the Year" in 2014.
The Schaumburg Youth Orchestra is a program of the Village of Schaumburg. More information about the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra can be found at www.schaumburgyouthorchestra.org.